There is an air of chaos in Nice. While the Gym will try to save its disastrous season this Friday evening (8:45 p.m.) in the Ligue 1/Ligue 2 return play-off against AS Saint-Étienne (0-0 in the first leg), several bad news have followed one another in recent hours.
Firstly for the supporters, who, in addition to not being able to attend the match due to the closed session decreed by the Professional Football League (LFP), are prohibited from approaching the stadium and its surroundings due to a prefectural decree issued this Wednesday.
For Claude Puel then, forced to compose in the absence of two executives from the Nice squad. The first, Hicham Boudaoui, is out due to a concussion protocol. The Algerian international had to give up his place in the 4th minute of the first round after a violent collision in the face with Stéphanois Abdoulaye Kanté.
Ali Abdi skips the Nice return dam
The second, Ali Abdi, voluntarily skipped this crucial meeting. The Tunisian international, summoned for the 2026 World Cup, preferred to join his selection without the agreement of OGC Nice, and is exposed to sanctions.
The Riviera club had, however, won its case concerning the presence of international players in this double confrontation, relying on a very specific point in the FIFA regulations. Algeria or even Tunisia could therefore not block their players since the two selections had sent their lists for the World Cup after May 10, too late.
